ABC codes or gut feeling?

05-13-2012, 06:42 AM

In his last e-letter, David Allen wrote: 'Before you spend another minute creating yet another list with ABC, 123, or high-medium-low codes as a way to define your priorities, read my essay this month. You may discover there's a more natural path for getting you what you need to get the right things done.'

I create the list in the evening for the next day. That allows me to do my top priority projects first (aka most important tasks, big stones, etc). When I'm allowed to choose in the moment I tend to choose easier tasks instead of doing my priority.

In his last e-letter, David Allen wrote: 'Before you spend another minute creating yet another list with ABC, 123, or high-medium-low codes as a way to define your priorities, read my essay this month. You may discover there's a more natural path for getting you what you need to get the right things done.'

I create the list in the evening for the next day. That allows me to do my top priority projects first (aka most important tasks, big stones, etc). When I'm allowed to choose in the moment I tend to choose easier tasks instead of doing my priority.

Are you agree with David Allen statement?

I don't use priority codes or 123 or anything like that. I DO create a "focus" list for most days, so I don't have to keep looking at all the items in every context over and over throughout the day. I am a bit like you, I think, only in my case seeing something easier or more fun can sometimes send me right down the rabbit trail and keep me there for hours. I love nothing more than a bright, shiny object to follow!

So, because it's all about getting things done and not making David Allen happy, I'd say to do what makes you comfortable if it's working for you.

Comment

I agree with Barb. The main point is that the system allows you to be more "in the moment," flexible, and intuitive about what is the most important thing to do at any given time, rather than imposing an external structure that may or may not coincide with the vagaries of any given day!

Comment

There is a difference between:
a. giving a priority when you introduce an item (in my understanding that is wat DA is talking about)
b.defining the tasks you want to execute now (or tomorrow) by scanning your lists.

However, I don't see that much difference between:
a. scanning your list the night before and saying "mm, what shall I do tomorrow?"
b. scanning your list in the morning and saying "mm; what shall I do now?"

So, defining your work for the next day is (in my opinion) not wat the newsletter was about.

Myriam

Comment

To me Focus list and MIT are the same as ABC coding. You create a closed list of tasks to do. It is the same as GTD context, time, etc approach but done the day before, not in the moment when one can make SILLY choice because she's running around fast.

Did he mean that it's better to do choice in the moment then carefully choose what to do the day before?

For most people, ABC coding goes one of two ways. Either the coding is fixed forevermore and no one ever does the C coded things. Or you spend all your time rearranging the codes.

Marking up a few tasks you'd like to get done the next day is much more temporary and fluid. If your day falls apart, or you're not in the right context to do those most important items, you can knock things off your other lists instead. After all, you're going to do them all, right?

Comment

Personally I whizz through all my next actions when I arrive in the office and pick out the half dozen or so that I'd ideally like to get done that day, and highlight them. I just see it as an extension of the GTD principle - do the thinking once, then record the outcome of that thinking so I dont have to do it again.

However I totally give myself permission not to do those items and do something else from the list, according to how the day goes.

Comment

Personally I whizz through all my next actions when I arrive in the office and pick out the half dozen or so that I'd ideally like to get done that day, and highlight them. I just see it as an extension of the GTD principle - do the thinking once, then record the outcome of that thinking so I dont have to do it again.

However I totally give myself permission not to do those items and do something else from the list, according to how the day goes.

Comment

When I'm allowed to choose in the moment I tend to choose easier tasks instead of doing my priority.

This is really interesting! I think it illustrates the problem with priority lists quite well.

By forcing ourselves away from the natural tendency to do easier things first, we're basically telling our tasks: I'm not going to do you until you're too difficult for me to ignore. See you in a couple weeks when you're not so easy.

Comment

Absolutely. I'd avoid the "Learn Spanish" task for as long as humanly possibly.

In contrast, "google competitors analysis" is so wonderfully easy that I'd be very happy to cross it off the list.

I'm not sure why "go to the gym" is not easy for you, but give it enough time and I imagine it'll eventually become difficult enough for you to do.

Cheers,
Roger

One thing that helps with not avoiding things is to make sure you have truly captured a next action. "Learn Spanish" isn't a next action--it would be a project. Because you can't just jump in and learn it, you avoid it. But if you said, "Research online programs to learn basic Spanish"--well, that one you can just go do!

Comment

Here's the difference: Focus list and MIT lack the 'C'. There's just foreground and background - stuff you want/must do and everything else.

TesTeq, 'C's in this case are all the rest tasks left on the list. In ABC coding you also take 'A's to start with. And you can finish with 'A's if you wish, no need to go to B,C whatever there's not enough time.